Dublin defeated Liverpool in the annual intercity match in Chester at the weekend.
The Dublin players Michael McAuliffe, Hugh Gormally, Conor Moore, Mick Lynch, Martin Brady, Seán Ó Lubaigh, Richard Elvin, BJ and Dermot O’Brien, Kevin O’Dea, Máiréad Ní Oistin, Séamus Dowling, Valerie Burke-Moran, Anne O’Connell, Siobhán Part and Sheila Horkan (captain) took the lead in the opening round and remained in front throughout. Liverpool leads the series by 11 wins to 10.
The European Championships will get under way in Ostend, Belgium, on June 6th, when Ireland will meet Romania in the opening game of the 34-team round-robin of 16-deal matches which will decide the open championship.
Tom Hanlon, Hugh McGann, John Carroll, Tommy Garvey, Mark Moran and Rory Boland with non-playing captain Gráinne Barton have a seemingly favourable draw in the early rounds and will meet Serbia, Denmark, Russia, Bulgaria and Greece before facing fancied sides including Sweden, Italy, Monaco and France over the weekend.
The women’s and senior pairs events also will begin on June 6th. Six Irish pairs will line up in the women’s competition: Bríd Kemple, Cass O’Donnell; Sandra Newell, Carol-Anne Cummins; Maria Whelan, Dolores Gilliland; Joan Kenny, Jeannie Fitzgerald; Mary Kelly-Rogers, Anne O’Connell; Martha Mulcahy and Paula Heaphy, while Pat Quinn, Donal Garvey; Harold Curran, Anne Fitzpatrick; Michael McGloughlin, Heidi Lillis; Martin Carroll and John G Kennedy will represent Ireland in the seniors’ contest.
Women’s and senior team championships start on Sunday. Gilliland, Whelan, Louise Mitchell, Maureen Pattinson, Margaret Fitzpatrick and Bríd Kirby with NPC Peter Pigot have a difficult opening day when they face Poland, France and Sweden. Kirby and Fitzpatrick, who is winning her first cap, were drafted into the team following the sudden death of Jill Kulchycky, who was to have partnered Teresa Rigney.
Ireland’s senior team consisting of Nick FitzGibbon, Adam Mesbur, Mícheál and Pádraig Ó Briain, Ranald Milne and BJ O’Brien with NPC Derek O’Gorman may be Ireland’s best chance of a podium finish. FitzGibbon and Mesbur have won gold, silver and bronze medals in European competition in the past. They and the Ó Briain brothers reached the world finals two years ago, while Milne and O’Brien are experienced internationals. Netherlands, Iceland and Germany will be their opening-day opponents.
The annual Yeats Country congress in Sligo will begin on Friday evening and will continue until Sunday. Fearghal O’Boyle 086 2652871, will accept entries.